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C4/c5 incomplete injury

Hi my friend had a fall down some stairs on the 25th February 2107 confirmed c4/c5 sci and pinched spine can move her shoulders arms bend her wrists up and turn her palms to face upwards thumbs are working in both hands fingers clenched into her palms no feeling from her chest down she yesterday her catheter blocked and she buzzed for her nurse she actually felt the wetness in her bed and he nurse first said you have catheter in you can not have wet the bed my friend replied I'm telling you I have and she had so are we hoping some more signals are getting through few minutes later the feeling had gone anyone with any positive answers I know it's going to be a long recovery has anyone any recovery stories they could share please

Her chances for a substantial recovery are good considering how much function she has already regained.

Main thing to watch out for now is that she does not develop a pressure sore on her backside. Make sure she is being turned properly and that her skin is checked several times a day for red spots. If she develops a pressure sore it will kill her recovery.

Spinal cord injuries can take many turns through the healing process, and there can be many outcomes. One thing is certain, no two injuries even at the very same level heal or have recovery outcomes the same. Your friend has been injured less than a month. The spinal cord is still in shock and swollen. It will take many months to find out exactly the amount of return function and sensation she will get. If her injury is classified as incomplete, she may have more return of function and sensation than if her injury is classified as complete.

The key now, is to learn as much as she can about her injury and how to care for herself or instruct others to care for her. She should try to get as much out of rehab in the short time that she probably has allotted there.

Likely, at her level, she will need a power wheelchair. Hopefully, she is (or will be, after initial healing has taken place) at a rehab facility that has experience with spinal cord injuries where she can get a good seating and cushion evaluation and find a chair that fits her and accommodates her needs. Physical and occupational therapists should be able to make these evaluations and either recommend equipment or refer her to someone who can use the evaluations to recommend chairs.

Planning for her return home is important too. There may be remodeling and alterations to her home that need to be made to accommodate her wheelchair, ramp into her living space, raise or lower a bed, make bathroom accessible, and arrange for care in activities of daily living etc.

Thank you for your replies and I will pass on your best wishes at the moment she is in the Glasgow spinal unit..manages to sit in her wheel chair for a hour a day with the back brace attending physio for 3 hours a day att the moment told yesterday could possibly be in for around 6 months moving if the hdu ward end of week to the rehab ward...the consultant let her out of her bed after a week to see if it would help her leg spasms with the hoist equipment can feed herself what I call finger food i.e. Sandwiches etc getting utensils in the next couple of days to try help her feed herself more so at the moment all sounding a bit more positive I'm 300 miles away but manage to talk on the phone everyday..work has already started on her house ramp outside..wetroom and room downstairs getting turned into a bedroom for her so all plans in motion now